Best Robot Mop: The ultimate comparison guide
If you hate home cleaning but love technology, a robot mop may be one of the better purchases you can make today. The best robot mops come either as a standalone product or as a hybrid device with a robot vacuum. This article has been written to show you some of the best robot mop models available, in each form. Looking at models from iRobot, iLife, Ecovacs, Bobsweep and more, after reading this you will be able to find a device that fits your budgets and needs from a robot mop.
Contents
Robot Mops
First off we will take a look and compare pure robot mops. If you already have a robot vacuum you love but want also want mopping functions, this is where you will want to look. A normal cleaning protocol will be to do the robot vacuuming first then use the robot mop, but some manufacturers such as iRobot have found a way to successfully integrate both through different devices. Here we will take a look at devices from iRobot and iLife.
iRobot Braava Jet M6 - Premium Robot Mop
At the top of iRobots Braava range is the Jet M6, a powerhouse of a robot mop. It is labeled by iRobot, who created Roombas, as the ultimate Braava mop which features a Precision Jet Spray that has spot clean mode for the hardest of kitchen grease. To use the Jet M6, you just attach a cleaning pad to the mop, fill the tank with water and select clean. Being relatively new, it houses the very best of iRobots navigation technology; iAdapt 3.0. This is the most advanced mapping technology that enables the mop to distinguish different rooms which can be cleaned in isolation.
Going one step further, using Alexa or Google Assitant, you can use voice commands to clean a room. An example would be “Alexa, mop the living room. On the iRobot Home app, the smart mapping allows you to view clean reports and detailed maps of your home. It is also the basis for scheduling and other controls. This advanced VSLAM navigation makes it the first Braava that can head back to the station, recharge and resume cleaning all by itself. A new IMPRINT Link technology by iRobot also allows the mop to work in sequence with the newest Roombas, the i7 and S9.
iRobot Braava 380t - Well Rounded Choice
When it comes to home cleaning robotics, there is one name that sticks out from the rest. iRobot is well known for being the pioneering and dominating force in the robot vacuum market with the Roomba. Few people are as aware of their robot mop range; Braava. There is certainly less too it when it comes to the technology of robot mops compared to vacuums, but iRobot has carried across some of their premium technology to make their product that bit better.
iAdapt 2.0 is an advanced smart mapping technology that allows the Braava 380t to intelligently traverse through the home. It knows which route is optimal to take and exactly where it has cleaned already, which improves the efficiency of the work it does. The square shape is perfect for sticking along walls and getting deep into corners. After you attach a cleaning cloth, here are two cleaning modes to select from; MOP or SWEEP. Built into the Braava 380t is the Pro-Clean System which allows triple-pass mopping action to make sure the cleaning job at hand is done thoroughly.
Although iRobot sells reusable microfiber cloths, the 380t will also work with standard disposable cleaning cloths. This action is perfect for hardwood, tile, stone floors, vinyl, and laminate floors. A whopping 1050 minutes of cleaning can also be achieved in just one clean.
iRobot Braava Jet 240 - Budget Option
A cheaper offering from iRobot is the Braava Jet 240, which is still well equipped for doing a decent cleaning job. Designed for kitchens and bathrooms, despite being smaller than most models, the Jet 240 remains capable at mopping sizeable living areas. Again, once a cloth is attached there is the choice of MOP or SWEEP modes. The cloth you use could be an iRobot reusable microfiber cloth or a standard disposable one. Declared a Superior Robot Mop by iRobot, the base technology is a Precision Jet Spray and Vibrating Cleaning Head designed to target stains. Despite being smaller, iAdapt 2.0 is still housed within the Jet 240 to ensure efficient cleaning routes. As it is especially small, the Jet 240 can get in the hardest to reach places, such as around toilets or below cabinets.
iLife Shinebot W400 - Bulky but Effective
iLifes Shinebot W400 is a bulky robot mop with a very high standard of cleaning ability. It utilizes a 4 stage cleaning system which gets the best results and does more scrubbing action than a wiping one. This is labeled by iLife as TidalPower Cleaning System. The clean and dirty water from this process is stored in different tanks of a similar size. Here are the four steps:
- Moisten dampens the floor in preparation for cleaning.
- Scrub uses an ultrafrine fiber roller that gently scrubs the floor at a high number of revolutions.
- Suction then dries the floor and removes the dirty water.
- Scrape finishes the job by removing any leftover residue.
Available with the Shinebot W400 are four cleaning modes; Path, Area, Spot and Edge. These have been designed to cater to different needs and situations that may arise:
- Path is for cleaning a large area across the living space.
- Area is for cleaning a specific area with active forbidden zones.
- Spot is for targetting a concentrated area.
- Edge is for cleaning the edges of walls and corners.
Overall, this is a well built and versatile robot mop that is extra effective at mopping and scrubbing. A drawback of this model is the bulkiness, it is a fair bit taller than the 3.3 inches of Braavas 240, coming in at 4.72 inches. In some situations, it may not fit under pieces of furniture that over mops can.
Hybrid Robot Mops
If you’re completely new to the world of home robotic cleaning or you are fed up with your current robot vacuums and mops, then here there will be some options you may like. However, as a general rule, it is important to consider that for the same amount of money, the vacuuming ability will not be as good as if you were to buy a standalone. What is good with these models is the fact they simultaneously clean and mop, which ticks off both boxes in one go. Here we will be looking at models from iLife, Ecovacs, Bobsweep, and Roborock.
iLife V8s
At the top of iLifes hybrid robot vacuum and mop range is the iLife V8s. If you are looking for a well priced hybrid option this would be a solid choice, although you shouldn’t expect it to be state of the art when it comes to cleaning. The navigation technology is relatively basic and you can’t connect to your smartphone, smart home or voice assistants like Alexa.
That said, for what it is, it is certainly very well priced thanks to supporting multiple cleaning modes and offering scheduling. It’s award-winning i-Dropping mop system has very precise control over the amount of water it disperses to prevent floor and cable damage. Being a robot vacuum, the dimensions are also much bigger, measuring 13 x 13 x 3.1 inches.
Also Read: Best of iLife vs Roomba
iLife V5s Pro
When considering hybrid robot vacuums and mops, the differences between any two models will be focused around the suction and cleaning specs. For example, if you take the iLife V5s Pro and compare it to the more advanced iLife V8s, most of the differences and upgrades aren’t actually to do with the mop function. When looking at the finer details of the specs, the only real noticeable difference is the water tank capacity which is 350ml in the V8s compared to the 300ml in the V5s Pro.
As this article is a comparison of the best robot mops, there isn’t much to say when comparing V5s Pro against the V8s. Whether you would choose this hybrid over the newer one is more dependant on your expectations and required cleaning standards from the vacuum side of things. For example, in that instance, the V8s is superior as it has 1000 Pa rather than 850 Pa, and it also has a dustbin twice the size.
Ecovacs Deebot OZMO 950
Ecovacs is a relatively big name in the home robotics industry that has released a slew of products. Towards the top of the range you have the Deebot OZMO 950, their state of the art hybrid vacuum and mop that includes premium features. Being a relatively new product with advanced technology, the OZMO 950 has some impressive specs.
Mopping works simultaneously with the vacuum to remove up to a quoted 99.26% of bacteria on floors. This very specific figure comes from a study by the Hygiene and Microbiology Research Centre. As per standard with hybrid mops, this device can detect carpets and consequently avoid mopping them.
Beyond the mopping element, you have advanced Smart Navi 3.0 which is a smart mapping based technology. It is similar to iRobots Imprint Mapping in allowing the user to choose specifically where to clean. Up to 3 maps can be stored to ensure that each floor of your home is covered. Battery life is a particularly solid 3 hours, which is about as long as they come.
Bobsweep PetHair Plus
The PetHair Plus from Bobsweep is a hybrid that we have already touched upon when comparing the robot vacuum in this article. It has a microfiber that can be used for both wet mopping and dry polishing. Again, as is the case with most hybrid models, the emphasis when looking at the features of the PetHair Plus is heavily focused around the vacuum. The mop of this model gets mixed reviews as some users complain at the speed whilst many others praise it for saving time. As long as it does the job without you needing to get involved, then it has to be a win.
Bobsweep’s PetHair Plus has a very advanced navigation technology which is far superior to its predecessor models. It very neatly avoids obstacles, cliff falls and is able to find its docking station. The hybrid vacuum and mop also come with a FullCommand remote that allows for manual control of its movements.
Roborock S5
Out of all the models and brands listed here, the Roborock S5 is certainly one of the lesser well known. They have come up with a hybrid which is very reasonably priced relative to the standard it performs. The advanced smart navigation is similar to the VSLAM produced by iRobot, in that it smart maps your home, plan routes, self recharges and avoids cliff falls.
Not just with the navigation technology, the high specs are genuinely very impressive from Roborock S5 in most areas. For example, the motor of the vacuum is 2000 Pa (which is very good), comes with multiple modes and has a whopping 150 minutes of cleaning. The mopping action works in sync with the sweeping mechanism and leaves absolutely zero water stains. Additionally, this model is smart home connectable and connects to the Mi Home app, which in turn allows the device to work with Alexa.
Final Word
Due to robot mops coming in either a pure or hybrid form, it is impossible to say which one is best. If you already have a robot vacuum that you are happy with, it is best to go with one of the standalone robot mops. This is especially true if you have one of the new Roombas, as some of the Bravaas can work in sync. However, if you’re completely new to the world of home robotic cleaning, you may want to consider a hybrid. We now hope you feel well-read and understanding on this topic, and with your given budget you feel willing to make the right purchase for you.
